Embrace the Seasons of Life

I recently asked on Facebook if people find it easier to eat well and exercise consistently in the winter or the summer. Yes, I know the definition of ‘eating well and exercising consistently’ varies significantly from person to person. It’s super far from my point though so let’s not worry about that today.

So is it easier to eat well and exercise in the summer or winter?

Like many things, it depends.

About half of my audience feels it’s more difficult to eat well and exercise consistently during the summer because of cocktails, barbecues and lack of a consistent schedule.

The other half feels it’s easier to eat well and move more because the weather is nice, the sun is out more, the fruits and veggies are fresh, and they’re happier/more motivated in general.

Listen, it doesn’t really matter whether you think it’s easier to get fit in the summer or winter. What matters is that you pay attention to when your motivation tends to be high and plan ahead a little bit to make things work in your favor. That’s right, you can actually embrace the seasons of life …and the seasons of the year to get out of your often self-imposed seasonal funks!

Seasons have the power to shape our feelings and behavior. Remember these four things and start using seasons to your advantage.

Four ways to Embrace the Seasons of Life

1. Seasons are a beautiful thing.

Yes, even winter in New England.

The reality is that in some seasons of life, figurative or literal, your motivation will be high and your stress will be low. In other seasons, you may find it tough enough to deal with day-to-day life without adding in anything “extra” like having a social life, dating your spouse or consistent training sessions.

These things aren’t really extra …they are NECESSARY, but that’s another topic for another day.

2. Each season is unique and comes with it’s own challenges and blessings.

What would happen if you start giving yourself permission to be fully IN each season of your life? To embrace each season of life by focusing on the blessings and discovering ways you can work with the challenges of each season instead of constantly fighting against them?

That’s right, instead of listing out all the ways you can’t succeed during this season,{uncontrollable schedules, parties, holidays, long weekends, weather, ice cream, etc.}, be present and realistic. How you can end this season better than when you started?

Here’s an example.

Instead of “I can’t focus on eating well right now because it’s summer and I love cocktails and barbecues.”

…let’s try “Summer is a season when I tend to eat a bit more so I also make sure to move more, hit my step goal and train hard/chase strength goals in the gym.”

Think about the seasons where you tend to eat and drinkmore. Can you move more and make those your train hard times? In the seasons where you tend to eat less or find it easier to be more disciplined food-wise, can you plan to relax a bit in your training and spend more time resting/de-stressing?

Adjusting these variables a bit, planning ahead, and using your motivation to your advantage might help you avoid the whole “how the hell did I get here” phenomenon. You know, like every spring when you put on your shorts after your winter of Netflix and chill(ed) vino.

And, maybe, just maybe, this could be the first step in ditching the all or nothing mindset that plagues us all. This is you if you’re thinking or saying things like “I ate some pizza and cookies and since that was not part of the plan, I might as well keep making poor food choices and sloth on the couch until…”

3. No season lasts forever. You can get through it.

When you set realistic expectations and acknowledge that no season lasts forever, it’s much easier to stay focused, commit to excellence and finish strong. Knowing there’s always a new season just around the corner, it’s must easier to push through the hard days so you can end each season with success under your belt. Finish each season strong so you’re ready to start the next one strong too.

Literal seasons don’t last, yet always come around again. Each fall, enjoy the beautiful scenery, eat an apple a day and make all the pumpkin things. In winter, celebrate the snow days, relish in some extra downtime, and lift all the weights since you’re not getting outside as much. When spring finally comes, get outside…even when it rains. Open your windows, clean your house and start going to the playground even when there are puddles still on the ground. In summer, please don’t complain about the damn heat. Put on some shorts, stop worrying about how your thighs look and get out there and get some vitamin D!

The seasons of your life don’t last either. The difference is, they rarely return. High school, college, your single days as you start out in the working world. And who can forget the stages of parenting? Yes, all seasons of motherhood are hard, yet beautiful, at the same time. It’s so easy to get frustrated with the toddler years {<—guilty} but if you focus on the hard parts you miss the amazing things your child is doing as he/she starts to discover communication and movement.

No season lasts forever, but so far your track record at survival is pretty good if you’re here to read this.

4. Sometimes you have to do the right thing even when you don’t feel like it.

Knowing when you’ll be more motivated is a great to way to get things started, but at some point you have to stop letting motivation, or lack of motivation, rule your life. Part of being a grown up and cultivating your own success is realizing that quite often you have to do the right thing even when you just don’t feel like it.

When it’s your season to put in more hours at work or push harder in your training, do it. Stay committed and go all in. Hold yourself accountable knowing that each season is beautiful in some way or another, no season lasts forever and ever season comes to a close.

When it’s time to take a break… take one. Relax, play hard, sleep hard and enjoy the “off-season” you’re in. End both your busy seasons and your rest-up seasons strong.

Things to think about…

How can you start make the season you’re in work in your favor? Can you ditch your focus on the negatives and problems and challenges you see each season? It’s time to start celebrating the joy that comes with each beautiful, albeit crazy, season you go through.

The season you’re in right now is not coming back…at least not exactly as it is right now. One thing in life is constant…CHANGE.

{OMG – so little.}

We’re heading into September. Summer is winding down and fall schedules are about to get rockin’ and rollin’. It’s basically another ‘new year’ for so many of us, a literal and figurative change of season. I know…schedules are crazy, you’re going to have to set more alarms, deal with homework, your lazy pool days are dwindling away…etc.

Sad…yes. I love summer too and it goes way too fast. So toast with a summer cocktail as we enjoy these last few weeks before Labor Day and then we’ll focus on apple picking, cider donuts, the beauty of routine and not having to wait 3 weeks for emails to be returned since everyone seems to be on a permanent vacation in the summer! 🙂

Know your current season. Give yourself permission to be fully in this season. Define what it looks like to finish this season strong and then do it so you start the next season strong too.

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Hi, I’m Amanda Perry! I'm a mom to two boys and I own a gym, Skill of Strength, with my husband in Chelmsford, MA. I'm passionate about motivating women to become stronger, healthier and happier with exercise and nutrition.